Reluctant Hero
by Ootfan
Summary: Navi was the only one who understood Link and comforted him in his time of need. Now that she was gone Link had no-one to rescue him from the darkness in the land that was his mind.


_A/N: For this story to work you need to ignore how the time travel works in the game. The method in this fanfic is quite complicated but I had to use it for the story to work. Critque would be very appreciated._

_BETA'd by RevolCram.  
_

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It was a bright, sunny day in Hyrule Castle Town just like always. There were crowds of people bustling around waiting to see him, just like always... Link sighed as he shouldered his way through the crowd, ignoring the cries of:" Hey Link!" and "Listen!" He'd had enough of that from Navi...

_Link watched, transfixed to the spot, as the blackened body came tumbling down from the mouth of Volvagia_.

Link shook the memory from his mind, not wanting to recall any more. To the passers-by it seemed like Link had simply fought back from the brink of sleep after "fighting the bad guys". But they would never know what had truly happened high up on Death Mountain. Link hated crowds, he revelled in his solitude. His wish was to be anonymous again so nobody knew who he was and thanks to the Master Sword, his wish was possible. But, in order to do so he had to make his way through the happy crowds that always seemed to crop up whenever he was nearby. Link hated how they all looked so happy, even when darkness covered the land, because they knew that someone would come and save them. Every day Link thought, "why me? Why do I have to be the fucking hero of time? Why couldn't it be any other Hyrulian who happened to be the same age as me?" Navi was the only one who understood Link and comforted him in his time of need. Now that she was gone Link had no-one to rescue him from the darkness in the land that was his mind...

_"Link! Listen, you have to stop thinking so negatively. I'm sure that there are hundreds of people who would want to be in your place," protested Navi._

_"I'm sure that they wouldn't if they knew the pain and suffering I have to go through. How many people would CHOOSE to go on 'exciting' and 'wonderful' adventures, knowing that around every corner there could be a stalfos? Or a redead?"_

_"I... don't ... No-one. But no-one would be able to cope with the hardships as well as you can, would they?"_

_"Well... I suppose not but what I don't understand is... Why me?"_

_"Destiny, Link. But if you don't believe in destiny would you really want to force the pain you've been through on to someone else?" As much as he hated to admit it Link knew that Navi was right._

Link finally pushed his way through the crowd that blocked his way to the Temple of Time and remembered all the times that he had been here before. He smiled. Even though that they were not his favourite times, he had spent them with Navi which made them seem a lot brighter in his mind.

Whilst thinking of these memories Link had subconsciously found his way to the pedestal where the three spiritual stones lay. The hero of time played the song of time and the sacred chamber, where the empty pedestal lay, opened. He stepped inside, faced the pedestal and took a deep, slow breath... Did he really want to do this? Go back to all the friends that he gained - and then later lost - throughout his journey? Go back to... Navi? As Link thought about this, tears welled up in his eyes and he slowly placed the sword back where it belonged.

As soon as the dizziness subsided, Link felt the familiar buzz of Navi flying around his shoulder and smiled.

"Link, shouldn't we be heading to the fire temple next?" Link's smile instantly vanished, this was it it... This is where it all happened.

"Navi," Link said cautiously, "We shouldn't go there because you...you..."

"What!"

"Die."

Link's vision suddenly blacked out. All the sages were standing before him.

"Link, what happens, must happen. There is no changing it. You chose to alter the past by coming here. Before you go back the the future you must relive the death of Navi once more. It will make you stronger. We will send you back. But you must not try to alter the course of time, do you understand?"

Link stared at the faces of his friends, even Darunia who had not been rescued yet. They had once been kind and forgiving but the darkness in the land had altered them, just like it had altered him.

"Y..yes," he replied.

The same dizziness pulsed through him as the sages sent him back to the moment he'd lived again barely a minute ago. Link felt the the strange sensation of déjà vu - he knew what Navi was going to say.

"Link, shouldn't we be heading to the fire temple next?"

"Navi...That's a great idea. Let's go."

After the long journey to the top of Death Mountain and through the fire temple, Navi suspected something by the way her best friend walked slowly and with purpose. As if he had been here before...

After a few hours, Link stood outside the boss room with the boss key in hand and with a heaviness in his heart. Very hesitantly, he opened the door and walked inside. At this point Navi knew that something was wrong but didn't want to ask, not at this time. Maybe when they had finished the temple.

Link knew exactly what was going to happen at this point, so he proceeded to hit Volvagia with the Megaton Hammer. After the second hit, Volvagia lunged at Link and missed. But he didn't miss Navi. He took the fairy into his fiery mouth. Link watched, transfixed to the spot as the blackened body came tumbling out of Volvagia's mouth. He closed his eyes. He had seen this part too many times, he knew what to do. He stepped to the left and swung his hammer, then immediately heard the ear-splitting screech of Volvagia pierce the air. Link watched, devoid of all emotion, as Volvagia crashed into the ground.

Link knew that he couldn't take it anymore. He had watched his best friend die many times in his imagination but now that he was forced to watch it again for real. It seemed like a switch had been thrown in his mind. For once, he knew exactly what to do. His movements seemed robotic as he walked back to the Temple of Time, pulled out the master sword and walked to where he had buried Navi... In front of the husk of the Great Deku Tree.

Link kneeled down in front of the grave. He knew he wanted to be with Navi at any cost. Hands shaking, he raised his sword to his middle and stabbed himself through the stomach. As he was dying he wanted to remember the people he had loved and lost through his life. Saria, Darunia, Ruto, Impa, Nabooru and Navi. All had been taken from him in the call of duty.

"Why was it the people who were closest to me that got taken away?" Link thought bitterly as his life-blood drained out of him into the soil of the forest floor.

"...Why me?"


End file.
